Circuit-breaker.



0.1. GUSTAFSOIJ.

CIRCUIT BREAKER.

APPLICATION FILED 056.3, 1913.

Pawnd De. 25,1917.

WMM/woes 0.1. GUSTAFSON.

CIRCUIT BREAKEH.

APPLICATION FILED DEc..3. I9I3.

1,251,224. Patented Dee. 25,1917.

2 SHEETS*SHEET 2.

TTTED STATES PATENT EARL J. GSTAFSON, OF SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSTGNOR T0 HENDE MANU- FACTURING CMPANY, 0F SPRINGFIELD, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPQRATION 0F MASSACHUSETTS.

CIRCUIT-BREAKER.

Specification of Letters latent.

Patented Dec. 25, 19T?.

Application ed December 3, 1913. Serial No. 804,527.

To all 'whom t may concern.

Be it known that I, CARL J GUs'rArsoN, a citizen of the United States, residing at Springfield, in the county of Hampden, State of 'Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Circuit-Breakers, of which the followineu is a description, reference being had to t e accompanying drawing and to the figures of reference marked thereon.

The invention relates to new and useful improvements in circuit breakers, and more particularly to circuit breakers which are used in connection with an ignition system for a hydro-carbon engine.

An object of the invention is to provide a circuit breaker of the above character wherein the contacts are automatically closed and opened, and wherein means is provided for shift-ing the position of the contacts relative to the operating member therefor.

A further object of the invention is to provide a circuit breaker of the above character with devices whereby a bodily shifting of the contacts results in breaking the circuit.

These and other objects will in part be obvious and will in part be hereinafter more fully disclosed.

In the drawings, which show by way of illustration one embodiment of the invention,

Figure 1 is a front view of a circuit breaker embodying my improvements;

Fig. 2 is a sectional view through the casing, showing the controlling cam, the contacts, and the operating devices therefor 1n side elevation;

Fig. 3 is a sectional view on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2, the lever on one side being omitted, and on the other side being shown in full lines;

Fig. 4 is a sectional view lengthwise of the supporting shaft and through the casing.

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the operating shaft, the supporting bushing and the cam, the cam being removed from the shaft.

The invention consists generally in providing a supporting base or member which is normally stationary, but which may also be shifted. This supporting base carries the contacts which are opened and closed by" a rotating member extending into the casing of the circuit breaker. The casing or sup-y switch for each pair of contacts, and this switch element coperates with another switch element, which is held from movement..

By shifting the supporting member, the position of the contacts relative to the rotating operating member therefor may be varied, so as to advance or retard the spark, and by a further shift of said supporting member, the switches may be opened so that the contacts are rendered ineffective, although the shaft carrying the operating cam stili continues to rotate.

Referring more in detail to the drawings, my improved circuit breaker consists of a supporting casing 1, on which is mounted a normally stationary support 2, which forms, in a sense, a continuation of the casing l. This support 2 has an inwardly projecting web 3, and said support overlaps the casing 1, and is rotatably supported thereby. A shaft 4 extends into the casing l, and through the web 3, which is cut away so as to form an opening and so as to provide inwardly projecting parts 5 and 6. A bushing 7 extends through the engine casing 8, or other part to which the circuit breaker is to be attached, and the shaft 4 turns in this bushing. The bushing i's threaded to receive a collar 9, and the collar 9 overlaps an inwardly projecting flange on the casing l, which holds the casing l rigidly to the engine casing 8.

The support 2 is provided with a seat 10, in which fits a cover 11. This cover is held in place by a spring arm 12, which is rigidly attached to a part of the engine casing,as shown in Fig. 3. This spring arm not only holds the cover in place, but may also serve to hold the support y2 on the fixed casing 1. A gear 13 on the shaft 4 meshes with a gear 14 on the engine shaft 15.

The circuit breaker herein shown is provided with two pairs of contacts which are alike in construction and, therefore, a detailed description of one will answer for the other. The support 2 is provided with an opening through which extends a threaded rod 16. This rod engages a sleeve 17 which is mounted in a bearing of insulating material 18. A nut 2O threaded onto the sleeve 17 clamps an arm 21, which is in the form of a blade and which projects laterally rearwardly from said rod 16. This blade forms one element of a'switch. The other element of the switch consists of a pair of plates 22 and 23, which are mounted on a block of insulating material 24, screwed to the mam casing 1. The outer edges of the plates 22 and 23 are bent slightly away from each other .to form an open mouth to receive the blade 21. This blade is so positioned that it may be moved between the plates and the entire length of the plates, if desired.

As above noted, there are two sets of contacts and also two sets of switches of the above character. They are disposed 0n opposite sides of the center of the shaft 4, although not exactly diametricallyopposite, as shown in the drawings. This particular circuit breaker is designed for a V-type of.

en ine used in connection with a motorcycle, an therefore, the contacts are slightly oset from a diametrically opposite position to correspond with the angle between the cylinders. It is understood, however, that from certain aspects of the invention, these contacts may be otherwise placed relative to each other, or a single set of contacts may be used.

A lever 25 is pivoted to the lug 6 on the web 3, and said lever has one end thereof arranged adjacent one of the rods 16. This lever carries a Contact point 26, which is adapted to engage the rod 16 to complete the circuit. The other end of the lever is formed with a cam shoulder 2?- which is adapted to rest on the outer surface of a cam 28, keyed to the shaft 4 and rotating therewith.

A spring 29 normally presses the cam shoulder toward the rotating cam 28. This cam is concentric throughout a greater portion of one surface, and the concentric portion of the cam normally holds the lever 25 in such position that the contact 26 is moved away from the rod 16. Said controlling cam 28 has a depression 3() formed therein, into which the cam shoulder drops through the action of the spring 29, and this allows the contact 26 to engage the rod 16 and complete the circuit, provided the switch above referred to is closed.

A lever 31 is pivoted to the lug 5. This lever has a similar contact 26 cooperating with the other contact rod 16, and also a similar cam shoulder 27 which bears against the cam 28, by reason of the spring 29 which presses against the same. There is only one depression 30 in the cam, and, therefore, this depression will coperate first with one lever and then the other, so that the contacts are closed and opened in succession as the cam 28 rotates.

The, supporting member 2 has an outwardly projecting arm 32, which may be manually shifted at will. The shifting of this arm carries with it the pairs of contacts, as said contacts are mounted on said aannam supporting member 2. The cam 28 has a fixed timed relation to the engine shaft as .it is positively geared thereto. A shifting As shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, the

supporting member 2 is shifted so as to move the blade 21 out of contact with the corresponding switch elements 22 and 23, and, therefore, the current supply which is led to the terminals 33 and 34 will not pass through the circuit breaker as the switches are opened. A shifting of the support 2 in a proper direction will place these blades into contact with their corresponding elements, thus closing the circuit into the circuit breaker, and when thecam 28 rotates, the sparks will be furnished inthe desired relation, as above noted. This supporting member 2 may be shifted while the switch elements are in contact for retarding or advancing the spark without Separating the switch elements.

1t will be understood that thecontact rod 16 and the switch elements are insulated from the casing of the circuit breaker, and, therefore, the other terminal of the contacts may be grounded, or may be connected to the rear circuit by simply making connection with the casing of the circuit breaker.

My improved circuit breaker is especially adapted for use in connection with an ignition system for a V-type hydro-carbon en gine. The contacts of the circuit practically control the primary circuit of the induction coils for the respective cylinders. The manner of using the circuit breaker will be obvious to one skilled in this art. It will 'be apparent from the above that I have provided a circuit breaker wherein the sparks are properly timed for the different cylinders, wherein also the sparks may be retarded or advanced in the cylinders, without varying the timed relation between the sparks, and wherein said circuit breaker may be used for breaking the circuit in the system without stopping the rotation of the controlling member for said circuit breaker.

It is obvious that minor changes in the details of constructionand the arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of the invention, as set forth in the appended claim.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim is:

A circuit breaker comprising a casing, two fixed contacts carried by sald casing and 5 spaced so as to produce sparks at unequal angular intervals upon a continuous uniform rotation of the circuit breaker, a lever for each Xed contact, means for pivotally supporting said levers, means for yleldingly l0 moving said levers so as to engage their respective contacts, a rotatable member for engaging the levers and normally holding the same separated from their respective contacts, said rotatable member having a recess formed therein adapted to permit first one 15 lever and then the other to engage the respective contacts for producing sparks and means whereby the casing may be adjusted for Varying the time of closing the contacts by said rotatable member. 20

In testimony whereof, I afiix my signature, in the presence of tWo Witnesses.

CARL J. GUSTAFSON. Witnesses:

CHARLES L. STURTEVANT, JOHN D. STEPHENS. 

